Contents

History

Natasha Romanova was a former KGB spy and assassin, nicknamed the "Black Widow". She was originally part of the Ultimates' covert operations ("black ops") team, but was subsequently moved to public status after a publicly acceptable background was written for her. The Widow seems to have genetic or cybernetic enhancements that allow her to coordinate herself in combat far better than the average human, being able, for instance, to leap across the gap between two high-rises. After accepting a marriage proposal from Tony Stark, he presented her with a black suit of Iron Man armor as an engagement present, along with a set of nanites bonded to her skin to control the armor. While testing the armor, they couldn't agree on a new name for her, such as Cybernatrix or Iron Maiden.[1]

Black Widow was later revealed to be a traitor, responsible for revealing the identity of the Hulk, framing Thor and Captain America, and aiding the Liberators in their invasion of America. She sided with the Liberators to cripple the country that crippled and turned Mother Russia into a bankrupt nation of hookers and gangsters.[2] After killing Edwin Jarvis, [3] the Widow held Tony Stark hostage and attempted to extort his enormous fortune at gunpoint. However, Stark was able to activate the nanites in her bloodstream and froze her body in place. He revealed that he had been downloading her knowledge into his mind through the nanites. He then summarily knocked her unconscious with a wine bottle, resulting in probable brain damage which caused her to be hospitalized. After the Liberators' defeat, Hawkeye tracked Natasha to a hospital, where he shot her in the head with an arrow, killing her for her role in his family's death.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Black Widow's physical and mental abilities -- notably her speed, agility, reflexes, stamina, recall and concentration -- had been enhanced slightly beyond human limits through unspecified secret technologies. Nanites bonded to her body enabled her to link with and control her Stark-designed battle armor.

Abilities

The Black Widow was a master martial artist, an expert markswoman, a natural actress, an infamous seductress, and a gifted veteran spy.

Strength level

Peak human strength with intense exercise

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Iron Man armor. Her costuming had also included miscroscopic suction cups enabling her to cling to walls and ceilings. Her Stark-designed armor gave her tremendous superhuman strength and durability, the capacity for supersonic flight, and assorted built-in weapons such as repulsor rays, wrist-mounted machine guns and mind-impairing "thought-scramblers".

Transportation

Armored suit.

Weapons

She carried assorted firearms and various miniaturized tools and weapons, such as communications equipment, tear gas pellets, various drugs, an electrostatic discharge weapon, spring-loaded cables and surveillance devices.